Texas Bandmasters Association
Bandmasters Review • December 2015
28
always tell my students this key phrase so that they know how
important it is to practice and perform on a reed that has the proper
resistance. For me, a “good reed” is one that has the correct resistance
for the individual player. Having the appropriate resistance in a reed
promotes great air support, which is the key to having a wonderful
sound, easy articulation and large dynamic range. But often times
teachers demand that their students develop terrific air support without
having first examined if their student’s reed is too hard or too soft. Air
support and tone improvements are dependent on having the correct
strength of reed for the individual player. When a reed is too hard/
resistant, the student will force their air production in an unnatural and
uncomfortable manner. Instead of just using the diaphragm muscles,
the added resistance will cause many other systems of the body to
strain to produce airflow which will result in producing tension in
the shoulders, upper torso, and throat. This extra strain and tension
transfers into the mouth where the embouchure bites down on the
mouthpiece and reed- making the airflow into the clarinet even more
restricted. It’s a vicious circle that then makes the player force even
more! On the opposite end of the spectrum, a very light/soft reed will
enable the student to produce a sound easily, yet improperly by puffing
the cheeks instead of engaging the diaphragm muscles. The sound will
be thin and shrill. The light reed will also allow the player to have a
very weak and poorly shaped embouchure that lacks the strength to
focus the air into a beautiful and rich sound. The perfect strength
reed is one that allows the student to blow with slight resistance and
zero strain. This perfect combination of resistance and response allows
proper development of embouchure and diaphragm muscles. As these
muscles develop, a harder reed may be necessary. It is important for a
teacher to help the student find the right strength reed for their level
of playing. This will really allow rapid improvements and a rewarding
experience of playing the clarinet.
Appointed principal clarinet of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in 1994,
Richie Hawley left that position in 2011 to become the Professor of Clarinet at
Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music. Mr. Hawley appears regularly as
a chamber musician and recitalist, including performances with his new group,
the Rogue Ensemble. He made his debut at the Marlboro Music Festival in 1999
and toured with the legendary Musicians from Marlboro for the 50th anniversary
performance at Carnegie Hall. During the summer season, he serves as the
teaching and performing clarinet artist at the Music Academy of the West in Santa
Barbara.
W o o d w i n d s - R i c h i e H aw l e y
You are only as good as your reeds…
P E R C U S S I O N - R a y U l i b a r r i
et’s face it, electronics are becoming a larger part of the Marching
Band idiom every year, and they are not going away. We have all
witnessed and experienced the devastating effect that electronic failure
can cause. In this article, I would like to share some tried and true
tips to minimize problems that arise from adding electronics to your
marching band.
The standard instruments that are currently shaping outdoor
pageantry are synthesizers and samplers. These instruments can be
both hardware based, i.e. keyboards, and software based, i.e. Garage
Band. Both can be very effective and relatively stable in an outdoor
environment and both need additional hardware to function properly.
For software based synths, the midi or audio interface allows your
software devices to communicate with controllers and output devices.
Keyboard synthesizers, however, should be connected to the mixing
board with a DI box to prevent signal loss and allow for longer cable
connections.
Speakers -
Always set your speakers up in front of your microphones.
Sending your speaker signal back through the microphones causes
feedback. Most groups I see that have feedback have their speakers too
close or angled toward their microphones.
Cables -
Owning and maintaining the proper chords and cables is
a crucial and often overlooked component when adding electronics
to your band. I always use the shortest XLR cables possible and wire
each instrument separately to keep extra cable from getting tangled
or pinched. Each marimba or vibe has a cable only long enough to
connect to another instrument or to a snake. By attaching the XLR
cable with zip ties to the frame of the Marimba or Vibe, I eliminate
any extra cable from dragging or tangling during transport and setup.
A good trick for long speaker cables or extension chords is to drill a
small hole in the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket. Feed the end of the chord
that connects to the speaker or power through the hole at the bottom.
Use a small traffic cone inside the bucket to coil the excessive cable
around the cone to keep it from tangling. Most importantly, educate the
students and staff about the importance of minimizing wear and tear
that can occur by stepping on or pulling cables. Last but not least, have
a spare of everything. I keep an assortment of cables, power adapters,
flash drives, and chord testers on hand for emergencies.
L
Eliminating the Electronics Headache
in Marching Band
Ray Ulibarri is currently in his sixth year as Percussion Director at Ronald
Reagan High School in San Antonio. Mr. Ulibarri is the former Percussion
Arranger for the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps and the former caption Head
of the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps. He is also the former front ensemble
arranger and caption head of the Blue Knights World Percussion Ensemble. In
addition, Mr. Ulibarri serves as an active adjudicator for WGI and clinician for
Yamaha. Ray also endorses Evans Drumheads, Zildjian Cymbals, Innovative
Percussion sticks and Mallets and Planet Waves Cables.
I
An Instrumental Blog presented by DAddario
Texas Bandmasters Association Bandmasters Review • December 2015 • page 28
